10 Best Recessed Lights to Buy for Your Home

Buying Recessed Lights

Recessed lights provide unobtrusive illumination, lighting up your living space without taking up space themselves. Because they sit outside of the perceived “room” they’re in, they help make ceilings appear taller and keep the focus on the objects they illuminate.

The two main parts of a recessed light are the housing (the part behind the ceiling) and the trim (the visible elements outside the ceiling).

When selecting recessed lights, here are the most important things to consider:

• Illumination. Because they are recessed, they don’t illuminate as broad of an area, meaning you might need more recessed lights than ceiling lights to cover the same area.
• Trim Design. Related to illumination, the trim design of a recessed light can affect light distribution. Common trims include baffle and reflector design. Baffles are designed to absorb light, making the recessed fixture less noticeable, while reflectors bounce light back into the room, providing more light but making the light fixture more noticeable.
• Power Source. Most recessed lights are either hard-wired off standard 120-volt circuitry or low- voltage, which means they utilize a transformer to reduce the voltage, usually to 12 volts). There are also battery-operated recessed lights.
• IC vs non-IC. If your recessed lights are in the top floor ceiling, they’ll likely be installed right in the middle of the attic’s insulation. Look for a light rated for insulation contact (IC) to allow the light to be touching insulation. Non-IC-rated lights generate too much heat when covered with insulation and can pose a fire hazard. You can install non-IC lights, but you’ll need to leave a 3-in. gap between the light and any insulation.
• Location. Recessed lights can be installed almost anywhere, but not all of them are suited for all locations. Wet rated, damp rated, outdoor and in-wall models all have specific features to deal with their environment.
• New Build or Remodel. Remodel lights have smaller housings and should always be used unless the installation is in new construction.
• Special Features. These really boil down to personal preferences. Some recessed lights allow you to control everything from brightness to light color and can be controlled by a remote or a smart speaker.

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